Former UFC fighter Sam Alvey signs with Karate Combat

Sam Alvey is smiling all the way to the Karate Combat combat pit.

The recently departed UFC veteran has signed with Karate Combat to compete in its heavyweight division, the promotion announced Monday.

See the social media announcement below.

Alvey, 37, left the UFC on an inauspicious streak, going winless in his last nine appearances for the promotion, a stretch that dated back to September 2018. His run of futility saw him go 0-8-1, with a pair of four-fight losing streaks sandwiching a split draw against Da Un Jung.

A 54-fight veteran, “Smile’n Sam” hung on to his UFC gig until he was released in August 2022 following a TKO loss to Michal Oleksieczuk. Alvey actually snapped his winless streak this past May with a third-round knockout of Cameron Graham in a heavyweight bout at a B2 Fighting Series event in Columbus, Ga. His pro record now stands at 34-18-1 (1 NC).

Alvey makes his Karate Combat debut on Sept. 16 at an event in the Dominican Republic.